THE funny thing about experts is that anyone can be one.

Even those people who profess to be fed up of experts are usually the world expert on something.

I, for example, consider myself a leading authority on, among other things, the cheese toastie, finding a six-year-old playing hide and seek in Ikea and propelling the slugs from my back garden.

An eclectic mix for sure, but all things the world needs.

During the referendum campaign (feels like a lifetime ago now doesn’t it?), we had many experts giving opinions on which type of apocalypse would await us if we voted in or out.

Many were wild speculation or at best inaccurate.

Some, only time will tell, but what is very clear now is that the time when we really need experts is upon us.

As the UK and European Governments navigate the fiendishly complicated process that is Brexit, they will need all the assistance from experts they can get.

That expertise includes the North-East business community.

There are a range of views for sure, but nobody is more expert on how our manufacturing economy ticks and what will help or hurt it than the people who make it tick. While there is no desire among businesses to tell the Government what it should be doing in terms of hard, soft or runny Brexit, an attempt has been made to set out a few principles we’d like to assist the North-East economy.

Ongoing access to the single market is key, if that means a visa system, it must keep up with the demands of industry in all key sectors.

Some certainty for the automotive industry would be good, as would guarantees for our universities.

Protection for funding is a given, the North-East has had a huge amount of infrastructure and skills funding in recent years – something must replace it.

And, one final thing.

A challenge has been thrown down for British business to get out and trade with the rest of the world.

We’d love to and already do but Government support through trade missions and embassy networks overseas is vital but under resourced compared to our competitors.

We may not be experts in the politics of Brexit but we are worth listening to in making it a success.

Rachel Anderson is head of policy and representation at the North East England Chamber of Commerce